This reprot is somewhat late for which I apologise. I seem to have had a very busy first few weeks of July.
But back to June
Around the ward
I visited the HCA Degree Show at the College Road Campus. Once again it was an amazing display of creative talent. We’re very lucky to have this resource in our ward and I hope many of you had the opportunity to visit.
I went to a lovely coffee morning at Bryngwyn Court where I had the opportunity to chat to many local residents. We don’t get much opportunity to come together as a community in College Ward so it’s extra-special when we do.
I also attended a very busy meeting of Bryngwyn Court residents. It was great to see so many residents out talking about ways in which their local envirnment could be made better.
With the time of the year I have been reporting and chasing the council to get weeds cut back from footpaths and I must say Balfour Beatty have been pretty responsive.
At the councils
I took part in a scrutiny session looking at how Herefordshire Council is doing at recruiting and retaining social care staff. Having a stable workforce is an important part of improving the work of Childrens’ Services but it’s by no means the only thing that needs to happen. You can read the papers and watch a recording of the session on the council’s website.
I took part in a meeting of the City Council’s Community Development Committee we agreed the following grants to local projects:
- £3,000 for Dream Your Future Families CIC, for the Little Pickles Project.
- £1,075 for Wye Valley Runners, for Subsidised Membership and Running Kit.
- £3,000 for Aylestone Park Association towards the cost of “the Gazebo which is for the benefit of the public”.
- £5,000 for Hinton Community Centre Association Limited, for the Fit & Fed 2024 Project.
- £2,488 for Hereford Community Land Trust, for the Artists Quarter Pilot Project.
- £2,502.18 for St Peter’s & St James’ Church, for the installation of a wi-fi system.
- £2,411.90 for Friends Of Riverside Hereford, for the Dinedor Camping Trip.
- £1,500 for Vennture, for the “Lean-On-me” project.
The Committe also agreed £3,000 for The Royal National College for the Blind (RNC), for their Graffiti Art Project but as I am married to the Principal I didn’t take part in that decision.
I attended a meeting of the Climate and Biodiversity Committee of the City Council and a meeting of the full City Council.
I also attended a meeting of the Cabinet of Herefordshire Council. I am not on the Cabinet but I had asked a question (about the performance of the housing advice line) and wanted to ask a follow-up. I am also (since May) the chair of the Scrutiny Management Board. The Board had made recommendations to the Cabinet before I was appointed but I attended to formally submit them.
Out and about
The City Council has appointed me to the Stronger Towns Board and I attended my first meeting in June. This is a group representing different aspects of the city who meet regularly to help ensure the various projects funded by UK Government as part of Stronger Hereford are delivered and bring the maximum benefit to the city. You can find out all about the projects, the funding and the board by visiting the Stronger Hereford website.
Along with other county councillors I accepted an invitation to talk to representatives of WI groups from across Herefordshire. The Herefordshire Federation particularly wanted to discuss how we could work together to tackle river pollution.
I attended an initial briefing on a Herefordshire Council proposal to develop student accomodation on the college site on College Road. My mum lived in halls there when she was training to be a teacher so, in principle, I think it’s a sensible place to build student accomodation but I will be working closely with the project to understand more about the detail of what they are proposing and to make sure this doesn’t impact negatively on the local community.
Along with other city councillors I visited an open afternoon organised by the Friends of Blackfriar’s Rose Garden. It’s not strictly in my ward but I know many of you visit, not least to drop off and collect your children from St Thomas’s. The volunteer project to look after the rose garden has created a beautiful oasis of calm in what is quite a busy urban part of the city.